Top spots for Limagrain cereals and oilseeds

Plant breeder Limagrain sees its wheat, winter barley and oilseed rape varieties take leading positions across the 2023/24 AHDB Recommended List.

LG Redwald takes poll position as the highest yielding winter wheat and LG Caravelle is the highest yielding two row winter barley. Meanwhile, LG Attica joins as the highest yielding oilseed rape variety – with pod shatter and turnip yellows resistance.

National list trials saw Redwald yield 107% in the UK, 107% in the east and 109% in the west. As a soft wheat, it also offers potential for distilling. Trials are conducted over a mix of seasons, drilling dates and soil types.

Redwald boasts good resistance to septoria and orange wheat blossom midge. “It is an exciting variety that should deliver for growers,” says Limagrain arable technical manager Ron Granger.

Good agronomic practice will ensure Redwald meets its full potential on farm, adds Mr Granger. It comes at a time when growers are looking more than ever to maximise output in order to maintain profit in times of increasing costs, he says.

Two-row barley

Caravelle is the highest yielding two-row winter barley to join the 2023 Recommended List. Limagrain says the newcomer dispels any misconception that two-row varieties are lower yielding than hybrids.

Offering UK yields of 106.3% – which is as good as the top yielding hybrid barley variety and yielding 2% above hybrids in the east. It is an early maturing variety with stiff straw; both important characteristics for a winter barley.

These high yields are backed up by an excellent disease profile, reflected in LG Caravelle’s high untreated yields. This variety also offers an exceptionally high specific weight for a winter barley of 71.8 kg/hl.

Oilseed rape

Attica is a newly recommended fully loaded hybrid with full UK Recommendation. It joins the Recommended List as the highest yielding variety to combine stable high yields with the genetic security of TuYV and pod shatter resistance traits.

Attica has a strong autumn growth habit, offering growers a wide drilling window and a very good disease resistance package.

Meanwhile LG Wagner is the highest yielding variety (108.1%) for the north. It was the highest yielder in 2022 – and also offers pod shatter and TuYV resistance. A shorter hybrid with stiff stems, it has good light leaf spot resistance and good stem health.